Curiosity

This morning on the way to work I had a little VW rabbit (older model) go zooming by me in the next lane. It was very creatively painted with all kinds of outdoor scenes. The two young girls inside signaled they wanted to change into my lane ahead of me, and I left them room. The tailgate had a "biodiesel" bumper sticker... my first though was "that fits!" And then I noticed what was painted above it: "The cure for boredom is curiosity, there is no cure for curiosity". That sent my mind off on a tangent. Cure. Cur-iosity. Looking for the cure or solution. Never connected that before. That curisosity and healing are connected.

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), which is the denomination I am a member of, has been talking about healing a fragmented world. Our next national General Assembly is using a scripture from Revelation....something along the lines of "and the leaves of the tree of life are for the healing of the nations". Maybe the way we cure our fragmented world (all of it, not just the nations) is by curiosity. Keeping our interest alive about the people in Darfur. Keep us curious about how the tsunami and hurricane victims are doing months later. Looking into the unrest in Haiti. Making sure our curiosity is the begining of a "cure" for our sicknesses: greed, desecration of our earth and injustices to it's inhabitants (human, plants and animals).

Curiosity, in my mind, goes right along with creativity as two of the "in the likeness of God" that we are blessed with. Matter of fact, I think curiosity is part and parcel with creativity. Although we do need to remember that God made this universe, and it was "good"....probably not in need of cure. The cure part comes in after we humans injure or destroy people and things of creation.

All of a sudden I was 8 blocks down Pearl Street and just about missed my turn to the office. I don't know if my thoughts will help heal the world, but I certainly wasn't bored!

My first Post

Well, this is an exciting adventure. Life always is. As my philosophy professor, Dr. William Moore always said "Life with a capital "L"". Holy, Divine, Liturgical. Life fully lived is a life of praise to God and a life of prayer with God. That is what we as humans are called to do. All the other stuff we pretty much make up for ourselves. I guess to look busy. Life giving praise will be a life that looks at each creation, each individual, each thing as having invaluable worth....Priceless! To live in that manner, we treat all of God's creation with awe, reverence and without prejudice....as it is all good. If it is in need and we can help, we help. If it needs justice, we help it stand up to it's oppressor. Because it is God's creation, and all GOOD, we love it.

Well, that's the standard. Now how do I live up? Well, that is where the exciting adventure comes in. How do I do the mundane things (laundry, dishes, bath, driving to work, work itself, walking the dog) in a way that is Liturgy. Being present and aware that there is a standard is the first step. Reminding myself to be present when I'm off in La-La land is another. Sometimes the steps take great courage. Sometimes I'm running and it's FUN!

That's what this blog is all about. How a typical 50 year old realtor from the northwest, who professes to be a tree hugger and strives to find work that is an act of ministry goes through each day. And remembering that all those descriptive items in the previous sentence are the things I've pretty much made up for myself to look busy. God sees through that to the real me, and wants the real me to be fully lived... . Discarding the "busyiness" and to be a genuine child of God.